Thursday, August 26, 2010

Whether Gifted is the correct word to call the Exceptional Children

I decided to look in the thesaurus for synonyms for gifted since gifted children does not seem appropriate.

This is how Thesaurus at http://thesaurus.com/browse/Gifted defines Gifted, " talented, intelligent."

Synonyms -
able, accomplished, adept, adroit,artful, astute, bright, brilliant,
brainy, capable, class act, clever, cultivated, expert, facile,
have smarts, imaginative, ingenious, intelligent, inventive,
keen, masterly, phenomenal, polished, practiced, proficient, 
quick to learn, savvy, sharp, shining at, skilled, skillful, smart,
with it, wise.

My favorite definitions are adept, adroit, astute, bright, brilliant, brainy, capable, clever, imaginative, inventive, keen, phenomenal, proficient, sharp, skillful, and smart. I believe some of the synonyms do not fit since they are still learning.

I prefer astute, clever, imaginative, inventive, sharp and quick to learn to describe my Jan. Although both talented and intelligent fit, I would say imaginative best describes her.

I was teaching Jan how to play cribbage recently and by the second game she was able to count some of the hands by herself, which surprised me. I was older when I learned cribbage. My brother taught me the first game then the second game he started playing muggings, which really upset me. I could not stand his stealing points from me so I learned very quickly to count my hands. I did research how to teach kids how to play cribbage.

The suggested,
First time count pairs.
Second time count runs.
Third time fifteens.
Fourth time count double runs.

I started of thinking I would teach her as suggested but it seemed that in order to teach her how to peg, I had to teach her the pairs, runs, fifteens, double runs, thirty one and goes all at the same time. Jan likes games. She did enjoy the cribbage board and the pegging the most. I believed that if she learns cribbage it will help her with addition and subtraction.

Jen and I went to Jan's school this week for curriculum night and the teacher said the second grade is learning how to count and subtract to twenty. She called it the Facts. I am not sure what that means. I checked on the internet. They all seem to call Second grade math, Basic Subtraction Facts, Basic Addition Facts, or Subtraction Facts with Missing Blanks.


















Monday, August 23, 2010

Summer Vacation is Over

Summer vacation has ended and we are back to our morning routines. School started on August 9th. I have always felt this is way too early since I always went back to school after Labor Day.

I usually arise first and make sure Jan is awake. Usually she wakes on her own and comes out. I have had to wake her up these last few weeks. Jan dresses than comes out to the kitchen while I make her breakfast. She prefers either her mother or I eat breakfast with her. After breakfast I pack her snack for school along with a bottle of water. I pack her snack in her book bag and make sure her homework is done one more time.

After breakfast she brushes her teeth and hair. If she has time she can watch TV before the school bus. Our morning routine starts the night before.

1. Eat Supper.
2. Take Shower.
3. Brush teeth.
4. Pick clothes for next day.
5. Good nights sleep.
6. Eat a good breakfast.
7. Brush teeth.
8. Brush hair.
9. Take School Bus.
10. Study at School.

Jan does better if we stick to the morning routine.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

About This Blog

This is a blog dedicated to eclectic discussions.
I am interested in household finances, living
debt free, parenting children, families, marriage,
vacations, art, books, music,writing,
spirituality, faith, journal-ling, blogging,
gifted adults, being advocates for our children,
issues affecting gifted children,computers
and discussing modern life.

Monday, August 16, 2010

All Children Love Bedtime Stories

I have been learning about Gifted Children lately. My daughter Jan is in the gifted program at her school. While reading about characteristics of gifted children, I have been reminded of my own childhood. I have always had a love for books. I inherited my love for reading from my father.



I my mind's eye I picture my father as a young man reading Robinson Caruso, Treasure Island and other classics to me. He would sit beside my bed in a chair. I can hear his deep booming voice as he reads. He would describe the colorful pictures in the books. I would drift to sleep as he read with visions of tropical islands or pirates in my mind.



Since Jan was a toddler, we try to read every night. Even though she was a tiny baby I would read to her. She has always loved story time. I have always loved story time too. I do not care what we read as long as we read something Jan l enjoys. Currently we are reading of Fairies by Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones by Barbara Parks and Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish.



We like to go to the library.  Jan is excited to play the computer games the library has. She also likes to choose books. We are fortunate the library has puppet shows, magicians and story tellers. We want  Jan to love going to the library.



Books open a window to a wide world of fact and fiction. I always loved reading and would be transported into a world of my own imagination. I enjoyed going to the library with my father when I was young. He introduced me to Turgenev, when I was twelve. I enjoyed reading of the life of Russian peasants on the Don. I read the complete works of Ian Fleming too. I like to read the writers that the writers I like admire. I have been introduce to Kafka, Camus, Sarte, Gogol, O'Neil , Ibsen and Hemingway. I currently love reading Dean Koontz, Patricia Cornwell and  Lee Smith. I have read many horror writers that I enjoyed to like Rick Hautala, Brian Lumley, Charles Grant, Melanie Tem, Poppy Z. Brite, Yvonne Navarro, Robert Block, Shirley Johnson, F. Paul Wilson, and H.P. Lovecraft.

I hope Jan grows to love books, libraries and bookstores as much as I do.